Trending News Today: Head, Neck Melanoma Increasing Among Youth

Incidence of head and neck melanoma among pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients has increased by 51.1% from 1995 to 2014, according to new findings from Saint Louis University. The study, which was published in JAMA Otolaryngology, looked at 12,462 patients from infancy to 39 years of age who were diagnosed with head and neck melanoma during this timeframe. In addition to the increased incidence of cases, the results also showed that incidence was greater among males than females in the study, according to the press release.

A recent study indicated that ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a targeted therapy used to treat mantle cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and other blood disorders, may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension and subsequent heart problems, The American Journal of Managed Care reported. According to the article, the analysis evaluated 562 patients treated with ibrutinib for B-cell cancers and showed that approximately 72% of ibrutinib users were diagnosed with onset hypertension over a median follow-up of 30 months after starting the drug. However, the study authors noted that patients who had a blood pressure rise experienced a 60% reduction in adverse cardiovascular events once treated with medication.

A new study found that the lungs and airways of some patients with vaping-related illnesses appeared to resemble damages similar to chemical burns, STAT reported. According to the article, the report, which was based on biopsies from 17 patients, did not find any evidence of earlier suggestions that lipids inhaled through vaping might be a contributor to the illnesses. In all 17 cases, the researchers found signs of pneumonitis and damage to the airway and lung tissue in ways similar to those exposed to chemical spills or harmful gases, the article reported.